GREEN BAY, Wisconsin – K-State used a second half rally to get back into Saturday’s game at Kress Center on Saturday afternoon, but Green Bay fended off the Wildcats with a 47-44 win.
K-State (4-3) was led by junior forward Nastja Claessens with a career-high 21 points and hauled in nine rebounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
– Green Bay (5-1) distanced themselves from the Wildcats with a 13-4 run to pull in front 19-12 with 7:42 to play in the second quarter. The Phoenix made their first three 3-pointers of the afternoon during the run.
– K-State closed to within three points, 19-16, with 3:31 remaining as Claessens finished a pair of layups.
– The Phoenix would push its lead back to seven, 23-16, at halftime, as they finished a pair of layups while holding the Wildcats scoreless for the final 3:30 of the stanza.
– K-State shot 26.7 percent (8-of-30) from the field in the first half, including an 0-of-10 effort from long range.
– Taryn Sides buried K-State’s first 3-pointer of the afternoon to bring the Wildcats within three, 24-21, with 7:17 to play in the third quarter.
– The Wildcats would win the third quarter, 14-10, and pull to within four, 34-30, entering the fourth quarter. Claessens would finish an old-fashioned three-point play with 1:54 remaining, while Jordan Speiser added a driving layup to bring K-State within two points, 32-30, with 1:02 left.
– K-State used a 6-0 run to pull to within two, 38-36, with 5:26 in the fourth frame as Claessens finished a layup.
– The Wildcats used an 8-3 run to pull to within one, 45-44, on an off-balance left-handed layup from Tess Heal with 1:36 remaining.
– Trailing 47-44, K-State turned Green Bay over with seven seconds remaining but a desperation three-point attempt didn’t fall as time expired. The Wildcats would outscore the Phoenix in the second half, 28-24, and shooting 35.5 percent (11-of-31) from the field.
– The Wildcats shot 31.1 percent from the field (19-of-61) including 8.7 percent (2-of-23) from long range.
– K-State held Green Bay to 33.9 percent (19-of-56) shooting.
QUICK FACTS
– K-State leads the series with Green Bay, 5-3, including a 2-2 record in games played in Green Bay. Head coach Jeff Mittie is 2-2 in his career against the Phoenix. The Wildcats are 11-3 against current members of the Horizon League.
– K-State head coach Jeff Mittie owns a career record of 676-381 (.640), including a mark of 222-146 (.603).
– The Wildcats are 300-330 (.476) in road games in its 58-season history. Under Mittie, K-State is 51-73 (.411) in road games.
– The Wildcats are 170-58 (.746) in games played in the month of November. Under head coach Jeff Mittie, K-State is 56-15 (.789) in games during the 11th month.
TEAM NOTES
– K-State’s starting five consisted of guards Gina Garcia, Brandie Harrod, Tess Heal, Taryn Sides and forward Nastja Claessens. This was the first time this lineup has started together this season. This was the 81st career start for Heal and her seventh at K-State. This was the seventh career start for Harrod. This was the sixth career start for Sides. This was the fifth career start for Garcia. Claessens made her third career start.
– K-State held a 45-38 edge in rebounding on Saturday. The Wildcats have had the advantage on the glass in five games this season.
– The 44 points by the Wildcats were its fewest since scoring 42 against Texas on March 10, 2023.
PLAYER NOTES
– Claessens achieved a career-high in scoring and her first career game with 20 or more points. This was her second time this season in double figures in points.
– Claessens pulled in nine rebounds on Saturday. This was her third game with five or more rebounds.
– Taryn Sides hauled in seven rebounds. This was her 21st career game with five or more rebounds and her fifth this season.
– Gina Garcia registered a career-high seven assists. This was her fourth career game with five or more assists.
– Brandie Harrod pulled in five rebounds on Saturday. This was her fifth game this season with five or more rebounds.
UP NEXT
K-State will travel to Cancun, Mexico, to take part in the Cancun Challenge for the first time since 2018. The Wildcats will face Columbia on Thanksgiving at 12:30 p.m., followed by a matchup with (14/12) North Carolina on Friday at 10 a.m., and ends against South Dakota State on Saturday at 10 a.m.
The games in the Cancun Challenge will be streamed live on FloCollege (subscription required) and can be heard on the K-State Sports Network, online at kstatesports.com and on the K-State Sports app and the flagship stations of K-State women’s basketball in Manhattan, Sunny 102.5 and 1350 KMAN.
